A hand-held device for applying a film onto a substrate is described in German patent application No. DE 198 24 552 A1. The application member of this hand-held device can move back and forth between a retracted parked position in the housing and an application position projecting out of the housing through an opening in the housing. The application member is attached to a bearing member which also bears the film material supply as well as the application member and is guided so as to be moveable backwards and forwards in the housing in such a way that the application member reaches the two aforementioned positions. An actuating element is provided for moving the movement unit and is comprised of the application member and the bearing member. The actuating element is disposed at the end opposite to the application member, namely at the rear end of the housing. This actuating element is part of the housing and can be moved from a rear stand-by position into a front active position into the housing and back again. A retaining device resembling a ball point pen mechanism is arranged between the actuating element and the bearing member so that, when the actuating element is moved forwards into its active position, the bearing member and the application member are moved into the application position and remain in this position. By pressing the actuating element again in the direction of the bearing member, the retaining mechanism is released and a spring presses the bearing member so far in the direction of the actuating element that the application member finds itself in its parked position retracted in the housing. During the forwards movement, the spring is put under tension.
Improving the operability and handling of a hand-held device of the type described above is desirable.